2023 Asian Games: Day 10

AP Photo/Lee Jin-man
Team Japan celebrates after finishing second to win the silver medal at the the men’s 4×100-meter final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.

HANGZHOU, China (AP) — India and Pakistan moved closer to a potential Asian Games showdown for the gold medal in cricket after picking up victories on Tuesday in the quarterfinals.

Any match between Pakistan and India draws a massive television audience and will be influential as the International Olympic Committee ponders cricket being added to the program for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The cricket final on Saturday, however, could be overshadowed by the start of the Cricket World Cup in India, which opens on Thursday.

The IOC has given no clear timetable when a decision about cricket will be made.

Cricket appeared in the Olympics for the only time at the 1900 Paris Games.

Baseball and softball are also in the running to again be included in the Olympic program.

India managed a 23-run victory over Nepal on Tuesday. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a century from 49 deliveries to help India reach 202-4 from its allotted 20 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat.

“I’m really proud and really happy and grateful,” Jaiwsal said of getting the century. “It was a great feeling. It’s a proud moment whenever you represent your country, especially India. I’m just so glad and happy to represent India and proud of myself for going out there to express myself and my game.”

Nepal was restricted to 179-9 in reply, with Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi each taking three wickets for India.

Pakistan put up a 68-run victory over Hong Kong in another quarterfinal match. Pakistan reached 160-10 and Hong Kong was limited to 92-10.

DIVING

China has won every gold medal at the Asian Games through seven of 10 diving events.

Quan Hangchan won the women’s 10-meter platform to produce the seventh, edging out Chinese teammate Chen Yuxi. Pamg Pandelela Rinong of Malaysia picked up the bronze.

Quan briefly trailed Chen, but she said her mind was elsewhere.

“I didn’t notice that I was behind, but I was happy when I saw the score (after the fifth round),” Quan said. “Chen Yuxi and I did not communicate during the competition, but we will communicate afterwards.”

China won seven of the eight gold medals two years ago at the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
Asian Games – Hangzhou 2022 – Diving – Aquatic Sports Arena, Hangzhou, China – October 3, 2023 Japan’s Yuto Araki in action during the Men’s 3m Springboard final
REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
Asian Games – Hangzhou 2022 – Diving – Aquatic Sports Arena, Hangzhou, China – October 3, 2023 Japan’s Matsuri Arai in action during the Women’s 10m Platform final

CANOE SPRINT

Everywhere you look, China dominates. China won nine of 12 medals in canoe sprint, which wrapped up on Tuesday. This is typical of the way the Asian Games host finds athletes to excel across a vast array of Olympic sports.

Canoe sprint athletes were also primed after appearing in the sport’s world championships in August in Duisburg, Germany, which served as the main qualification event for next year’s Paris Olympics.

“All four of us are very happy because we have been working hard for a long time,” said Zhang Dong, a member of the winning 500-meter men’s kayak four team.

“Including qualifying for the Olympics at the world championships, I really feel it’s not easy,” Zhang added. “We have already been preparing for two years, just to qualify for the Olympics, and to win the gold medal at this Asian Games, I’m so happy.”

ROAD CYCLING

Three-time Olympic medalist Olga Zabelinskaya of Uzbekistan won the women’s time trial in 24 minutes, 35.99 seconds. Zabelinskaya was a silver medalist at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and won two bronze medals at the 2012 London Games.

The silver medal in the 20-kilometer race went to Eri Yonamine of Japan, who was 59.60 seconds behind. Rinata Sultanova of Kazakstan took bronze.

Alexey Lutsenko of Kazakhstan won the men’s race in 48:05.75. Xue Ming and China took silver and Vincent Lau Wan Yau of Hong Kong won bronze.

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AP Photo/Vincent Thian
Silver medalist Japan’s Ririka Hironaka celebrates after the women’s 5000-meter final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.
AP Photo/Vincent Thian
Bronze medalist Japan’s Yuma Maruyama celebrates after competing at the men’s decathlon at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.
REUTERS/Marko Djurica
Asian Games – Hangzhou 2022 – Boxing – Hangzhou Gymnasium, Hangzhou, China – October 3, 2023 Japan’s Sewonrets Quincy Mensah Okazawa reacts after winning his Men’s 63.5-71kg semifinal match against Kazakhstan’s Aslanbek Shymbergenov